Numbers 22:36

Numbers 22:36 says, And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.  Balak went to meet Balaam when he heard he was almost there.  He evidently thought Balaam was going to do what he wanted him to do.  People will still go out of their way to get Christians to do what they want them to do, without any concern about whether it is God's will or not, if they think they will benefit from it.  Verse thirty-seven adds, And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?  Balak then basically asked Balaam what took him so long to get there, since Balak was going to richly reward him for doing what he wanted Balaam to do.  We should never allow people to think that they can buy our services as followers of Christ, no matter how much they promise to reward us materially.  Verse thirty-eight states, And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.  Balaam should have told Balak that God had already told him not to attempt to do what Balak wanted in the name of God, but he instead said that he could only say what God told Him to say.  We need to be clear when it comes to proclaiming God's word that we can only proclaim His truth, no matter what someone may offer us to do otherwise.  Verse thirty-nine adds, And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth.  Balaam went with Balak to Kirjathhuzoth, when he should have simply turned around and gone home, considering that he shouldn't have been there to start with.  If we find ourselves in a place that we know God doesn't want us to be as Christians, we need to turn around and leave.  Verse forty says, And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.  Balak was still trying to flatter Balaam.  We should never allow anyone to think that as followers of Christ that we can be bought with flattery or material riches.  Verse forty-one adds, And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people.  The next morning, Balak brought Balaam up to the high places of Baal, a false god worshipped by many people.  Matthew Henry says Balak might have done this thinking that Balaam would be better able to pronounce his curses on Israel from higher up, or closer to God, or maybe that he wanted to be higher up so that he could see the curses take effect.  No matter what the reason someone wants us to go there, we should stay out of places of the worship of false gods, especially if they think we are going to use our relationship with God to benefit them, whether it is God's will or not.  Knowing what God had told him, Balaam had no business going along with Balak.